Dark Hope
by VeiledElegance
Summary: An ancient people called the Hayashi have returned after being banished for a hundred years. They need refuge as their entire race is being wiped out those only known as Dark Hope. Will their connections with Byakuya save them? Rated M for violence, some language, and sexual content in later chapters. Byakuya x OC
1. Chapter 1

*This is my first Bleach Fanfic. For the longest time Kuchiki Byakuya has been my favorite character in bleach (until Grimmjow showed up). So I felt the need to make up my own little story and find a place for it in the Bleach universe. I do plan on having a lemon at some point in this story, hence the M rating. Hope you enjoy!*

**I do not own Bleach or any of their characters**

* * *

It's funny how your entire world can come crashing down around you from the doings of one man; one evil man. Who would of thought such an evil person could be so conniving, so organized, and so intricately perfect? How did he plan all this? How did he know what would happen between a period of years that would grant him such an advantage? I tried not to think about it, but what was there to think about when I was stuck in a smelly old storage shack in Rukongai with my two best friends and my little cousin who was scared out of her mind?

Aizen Sousuke, if I ever meet you again, you will die by my hands and my swords.

"Sakura?" I heard that sweet, quiet voice whisper in my ear.

"What is it, Kaori?"

"Are you sure your Zanpakuto will be ok?" She asked, looking down at my wrist. Around it was my large thick Zanpakuto that resembled a bracelet. It was cracked in several places and I was having a hard time repairing it. Not to mention the pain was nearly unbearable. I looked back at her innocent, troubled face.

"Yes, Kaori. Mizu will be fine. She just needs some time to rest." I reassured her.

"But with Mizu injured, how will you fight?" She said troubled.

"No one will find us here. We will be safe until Mizu can heal fully." My words seemed to calm her at least a little. She swallowed what I had to say and went back to her side of the small cramped shed.

We were not like Shinigami where our Zanpakutos rested in katanas and the like. Our Zanpakutos became permanent pieces on our body that could not be removed. They rested there until needed and when called upon, they answered by releasing into intricate weapons. Our ways of life were ancient. We were so ancient that we had no name, in which the Shinigami gave us the name Hayashi people, seeing as we appeared out of the forest right before them. Our people were more than ten thousand years old and we had only appeared to Soul Society's Seireitei a mere thousand years ago. Then we were banished nearly 910 years later. That wasn't even the worst part.

"Did you hear something?" I heard Tali's whispers crystal clear through the darkness.

I had been lost in thought and heard nothing so I waited to hear again. It was quiet, but completely recognizable.

"How did they find us so quickly?" Rin asked almost in a panic. She was the youngest of the three of us, not including Kaori, and she had the least fighting experience.

"We have to get inside Seireitei." I said as I got up and prepared for the worst.

"They will never let us in there!" Tali argued.

"We have no choice, Tali. It's now or never. They are just going to keep hounding us until they either capture Kaori or we are somewhere they can't get to." I said as I picked Kaori up in my arms. The ten year old girl was sadly getting used to this routine. "Stay close and quiet. We don't want to attract any Shinigami. They will think we are causing the trouble." I held my hand on the shed door, getting ready to run. "Let's go!" I whispered.

With one heavy shove, the door flew open and out we ran. We were right about our followers. They appeared almost instantly.

"There they are! Capture the girl. Do what you want with the rest." A woman's voice said. Most of these guys just seemed like hired bandits, but the woman was definitely apart of Dark Hope.

I quickly passed Kaori to Rin. "Rin, Tali, Run as fast as you can to the gate. I will try to keep up and hold them off as best I can. All that is important is that you keep Kaori safe. When you get to the gate, ask for Kuchiki Byakuya." I pushed them along and prepared for the worst. I bowed my head with one last prayer, "Please maker of all, protect Kaori. Protect our future."

When I raised my head, there was a group of about ten bandits in front of me and the woman in the back, ready to watch the fight. "You will not pass." I said sternly.

The bandits laughed and spit back my words in a mocking fashion. "We'll see." The one bandit said.

"May the maker forgive me." I lifted my hands and began to channel my energy. The bracelets around my wrists began to grow and change shape. Soon my bracelets were thin, with chains attached. At the other end of the chains were the hilts of my large katanas. I breathed and looked up, ignoring the pain Mizu shot through me. My eyes were intense and I felt their nervousness tense up the air.

"Flow, Mizu." I said as I slammed the hilts of the two katanas together. They glowed until they formed a double bladed sword. The pain was nearly unbearable, but I begged Mizu to continue. I called upon her and it began to rain steadily around us. I pointed my sword into the center of the bandits and the rain suddenly formed into pressurized blasts from underneath. As the water consumed the men, I struck.

My speed was still remarkable despite Mizu's injury. I slashed at the distracted men. The first man I came upon was struggling to avoid the water that was shooting into his face and I stabbed Mizu into him. I pulled Mizu out just as quickly and flash stepped to the next, slashing the back blade across his chest. I continued these movements until all the men in front of me were dead or dying. Little did I know, however, that a couple of bandits had made it outside my reach and had gone after Tali, Rin, and Kaori.

* * *

The three ran quickly towards the northern gate. A large giant blocked the entrance and Rin began to beg. "Please let us in! We need to speak to Kuchiki Byakuya! It's a matter of life and death!"

The giant looked uneasy at the Hayashi girls. "Hayashi are not welcome here. You are not allowed inside." The giant persisted.

"Listen you giant tub of lard! My friend is in grave danger and we need help, so either you let us in or I will shock you so bad, you won't wake up for a week!" Tali yelled in anger.

"I'm scared." Kaori whispered.

"It will be -" Rin began.

"Rin, look out!" Kaori screeched.

"Bandits!" Tali yelled. "Playtime Mitsuko!" In an instant the silver wire wrap around Tali's arm transformed into a Kusarigama with a very large blade. The blade just as suddenly lit up, showing a lightning bolt flash across the blade and just as quickly disappearing, only instantly showing it's power. Tali hurled the blade at the bandits and it hit one in the leg, electrifying him. He collapsed and Tali tugged the chain back, tearing his flesh. She grabbed the blade effortlessly.

"Bandits?" The giant said slowly. "Bandits!" He yelled into the courtyard.

"Grow Moriko." Rin said quietly. The thin chain connecting her ring and bracelet shattered and reformed into a long staff. The staff had a large top piece, strong enough to break anyone's bones who got close enough. She extended the staff towards the group of bandits and the ground began to shake beneath them. In a matter of moments they were wrapped up in thick thorny vines. "Hold them there." Rin's voice was firm.

Tali smiled. "Playtime..." She whispered as she got ready to throw Mitsuko.

"Withdraw your weapons, Hayashi." A firm voice from above the wall said. "You will not disrupt this place any longer."

Tali and Rin stopped and looked up. It was a handsome man with black hair pulled back into a white headpiece. He had a silvery white scarf wrapped around his neck and he wore a white haori. They both knew what that meant. They withdrew their weapons immediately, causing the bandits to become free. They ran immediately, knowing they could not face a captain.

Tali sighed a temporary moment of relief. Rin watched as more Shinigami converged onto the wall and behind them, so that they could not go anywhere. There was another captain who was much shorter and looked younger than Rin. He had white hair and ice blue eyes. Next to him was a tall, orange haired woman. Her robe was open quite a bit and Rin thought that to be odd for a Shinigami.

On the wall was a red haired Shinigami. He was standing next to the captain. He had unsheathed his Zanpakuto and it looked to have spikes coming out of it, much like his hair. With him was another Shinigami with a bald head and red paint marks near his eyes.

"Please, let us inside before the real bad guys show up!" Kaori yelled at the Shinigami. Rin held her tight.

"We need somewhere to hide. Normally we would never think of coming here, but our city was destroyed and we had nowhere else to go. Our enemy has been chasing us all the way here! Please! One of our own is still fighting them in the forest." Rin said desperately.

The Shinigami watched them carefully.

After a few moments of silence, Tali scoffed at them. "Forget it Rin, they aren't going to help us. They are going to just let us die. Let's find Sakura before she gets really hurt."

"Who did you say?" The one captain stepped off the wall and approached them curiously.

"Sakura. She took on the bandits and that damn woman from Dark Hope by herself so we could get here and now you won't even let us in!" Tali said angrily. "She could be dead by now for all I know. All that matters is Kaori's safety. If Kaori gets captured then we are all dead." Tali struggled to say the words. She hated to treat Sakura as if she was nothing but an expendable asset, but that's all they were now thanks to Aizen Sousuke.

The strange captain suddenly recognized the woman standing in front of him. "Tali." he whispered. He said nothing more and immediately disappeared. He was very good with Shunpo.

"Byakuya, you idiot. To think that you would ever forget us." Tali whispered to herself as she watched Byakuya fly off.

"Arrest them for now." The other captain said.

"What!?" Rin and Tali both said in unison.

"If safety is what you want then we can only guarantee it if we place you in prison. We can't guarantee you will behave if we let you roam free in Seireitei. I will let the head captain decide tomorrow your fate."

The Shinigami led Tali, Rin, and Kaori into Seireitei and I was glad my efforts weren't in vain.

* * *

I prayed that they were safe as I ran through the forests, attempting to get to the gate. I heard that woman's incipit laughter behind me and getting closer. I was out of options. Mizu was too badly damaged to fight any longer.

"What's wrong Sakura? Why don't you just give up and come back with me. I promise I won't hurt you." She laughed.

It wasn't long before she was upon me. I felt a strong burning blast behind me and moments later I was thrown into the trees ahead of me.

I screamed in pain as the crack in Mizu got larger. My Spiritual energy was dropping fast.

I got up quickly and faced her. She was standing several feet from me, her weapon was drawn. It was a long, large sword that seemed oversized. It burned with energy that resembled the sun. One more strike like that and I was done for.

"This is my last offer. Come back with me cooperatively or I'll drag you back within an inch of your life left in your body. Your choice." She said her final words as she pointed her sword at me. I refused to answer. "No? Fine then." She cackled.

In an instant, she charged me and stabbed her large sword into my shoulder. I screamed loudly as pain engulfed my left arm. All I could hear was her insane laughter.

"Good! I like it better this way. Your more fun when your squealing in pain!" She yelled as she stabbed her sword into my right leg next. Mizu had completely fell into her dormant form. I couldn't even hear a whisper.

I moaned in pain. I didn't know what to do. She stabbed the sword into the same damaged leg again and I grabbed the blade. With all my strength I poured the remaining Spirit Energy into it. "White Lightening!" I called out the chant and she exploded backwards. Her sword ripped my leg even more as it flew out.

"You little brat! Forget what Aizen said! Forget what Mayura wants! I'm gutting you once and for all right now!" She yelled in anger as she charged me in one final blow.

"Shikai, Senbonzakura." A voice said from behind me. The voice was so familiar and the name of that Zanpakuto was unmistakable.

"Byakuya." I whispered. Moments later a rush of pink blades flew around me and hit directly into that cursed woman. I heard her scream in pain and shock as she hit the ground.

She got up from her defeated position as Byakuya came around the tree. "How dare you! Soul Society will pay for this treason!" The woman yelled. "You will not get away with protecting these Hayashi filth!"

Byakuya didn't say anything, but instead used Shunpo to reach behind her. He then stabbed her in the back with his Zanpakuto. She wasn't fast enough to get away and fell to her knees. "Damn you." She cursed one last time before he gave her a finishing blow.

Byakuya turned his attention to me. I was cut up badly and my breathing was heavily labored. Mizu was dying and because of that, so was I.

"D-Did...Kaori and...Tali and...Rin...make it?" I struggled to ask as he came to my side.

"Yes." He answered as he picked me up in his arms. "It's not like you to make such foolish decisions as this." He teased in his own way.

"Unfortunately it has gotten so bad that it has come to that." I sad sadly as I felt his Spirit Energy pour into me. He was trying to stabilize me. "Thank you, Byakuya-Sama."

His face looked concerned like it would have all those years ago. He said nothing further and used his Shunpo to rush me to Seireitei.


	2. Chapter 2

*Chapter 2 is up! Hope you enjoy! :) *

* * *

I awoke underneath the warmth of fresh sheets and sunlight sparkling in my face. The pain wasn't entirely gone, but I felt the wounds had been tended to thoroughly. I lifted my wrist and saw the bracelet that was Mizu. The crack had amazingly shrunk and she was stabilized.

The room itself was empty besides my one bed. I had been hooked up to lots of medical equipment, much of which I had never seen before. It was obvious that Soul Society used both science and kido to heal now, while my people only used kido.

The room was white and bright. I felt the energy that flowed through this place and knew immediately where I was. "Squad Four's Infirmary." I said out loud.

"That's right." A familiar voice said from the doorway. I turned my head and saw a wonderful, familiar face. Her hair was black and braided down the front, under her chin. She was tall and elegant and was wearing a haori.

"Captain Unohana." I said.

"It's very good to see you again, Sakura, although I wish it were under different circumstances." She said as she smiled.

"It's good to see you too. It's been so long." I said almost in a daze.

"Yes, it's been almost a hundred years since the Hayashi were banned from Seireitei. It's been almost a hundred years since I've seen you." She said solemnly. She was no longer smiling.

There was silence for a few moments. I had no energy to force conversation and too much was on my mind to even try for casual talk. I did have questions, however.

"Captain Unohana-" I was cut short.

"I'll go get Captain Kuchiki. I'm sure he is willing to answer all your questions. I have other patients I must attend to." She said as she bowed politely. "Stay well, Sakura."

I nodded my head in response. I was very nervous. It had been so long since I'd seen Byakuya and the circumstances when I left were so very messy. What would I say?

I stared out the window even after he entered the room.

"Thank you again, Byak- I mean Captain Kuchiki." I said nervously. "I'm sorry for doing this to Soul Society, but we truly had nowhere else to go." I finally turned to him to see if I could read his face. It was cold and stiff. It showed no emotion whatsoever. He was different from when I knew him. I had heard about him marrying a poor girl from Rukongai fifty-five years ago and then about her passing. I wondered if that was what made him so cold looking. I felt inclined to fear him.

"I owe it to your father." He said coldly. It was lacking of any emotion at all.

"I see. Well where are my friends?" I asked, changing the subject.

"They've been arrested and the matter is being looked into by our Head Captain." He replied.

"Arrested!? Why?" I sat up quickly, feeling the pain rush through my body and the dizziness tried to overcome me.

"Do not startle yourself so. There was no way anyone in Seireitei would trust them, so the safest place for them was prison until we could determine what exactly is going on, which we must hear from you." His eyes went from staring off at the wall to glaring at my face. They softened slightly when they rested upon me and I felt relieved. The old Byakuya was still in there.

"My father is still out there with my other sister and my other cousin somewhere. Uncle Auron and Katsuo got separated from my group when Dark Hope started chasing us. They were supposed to meet with us here, but-" I clenched my fists and found it hard to swallow the tears that were starting to build. "Everything is gone." I whispered.

He looked down at the floor, not sure what to say next. I couldn't hold my tears in anymore and let a couple drip down my face before I turned my head away.

"I need some rest. Please leave me be for now. When your Head Captain is ready to see me then I will go with you." I said as my voice wavered. I was choking on every word.

I felt his presence move to the bed. His hand fell to my shoulder and I felt nervous chills fly through my body. "I know it means nearly nothing now, but I'm glad you are ok." He said quietly.

"It means more than you know, Byakuya-sama." I said as I turned my head to see his face. I'd give anything to see that reckless teenager who was my friend again.

"The Sakura I knew was much stronger than this. I hope she is not lost to this tragedy." He was now turning to leave.

"And the Byakuya I knew was not nearly so cold. I hope the tragedies that occurred in his life did not change him so much as to suck all the emotion out of him." I said quite angrily. The Byakuya I knew was not so cold. The Byakuya I knew had life and joy and a reason to live and fight. The Byakuya that I knew was the Byakuya I loved. I hoped that he wasn't truly gone for good.

Byakuya looked back quite startled by my statement. "I do not live in the past and neither should you." He scoffed before walking out the door. I felt my heart crack inside and knew that he was not the same man I once knew.

With nothing left to do, I lay my head back down on the pillow and stared at the ceiling, hoping things would change for the better, but not counting on it.

* * *

"Those idiot Shinigami!" Tali yelled through the bars. "How can you lock up a little girl!"

Kaori was wrapped in Rin's arms, terrified. Her eyes were beat red from crying and hope was dwindling from all of them.

"We told you! We'll let you out when we get word from Head Captain. You Hayashi can't be trusted." One of the Shinigami guards said.

"I doubt you even know what happened back then to get us banned. We were never a threat to Soul Society and we gave everything we had to help them. As a reward you threw us into the forests to fend for ourselves. Why don't you go research the Shinigami bastard that petitioned it? Maybe you'll learn something." Tali growled angrily.

"Tali, please stop. You are upsetting Kaori more." Rin pleaded.

Tali gave one last hiss to the guards before sitting down next to the shaking little girl and her protector.

"I wonder if Sakura is going to be ok." Kaori sniffed.

"She's fine." A cold, hard voice said from the prison door. "Leave us." He said to the guards. The guards scurried away as fast as they could.

Tali got to her feet again and knew at once who it was. "Well, well, well. Have you come to finally let us out, Byakuya?" Tali curled a smile.

"Byakuya-sama! You've seen Sakura?" Rin called excited.

"You shouldn't be so informal, Tali, even though it suits you." He said rudely. Tali just gave him an unpleasant look. "Yes, Rin, I saved her life." He said coldly, but they all knew his ego was talking.

"Is she alright?" Kaori asked from Rin's arms.

"She will be fine. She was badly beaten, so it may take a couple of days, but her rate of recovery is extremely fast."

"So what about getting us out of here?" Tali butted in.

"You can't leave until the Head Captain evaluates the situation and in order to do that he has to speak to Sakura in a Captain's meeting."

"So we are stuck in here for another three days!?" Rin exclaimed in shocked disappointment.

"I've made an arrangement for you three to stay at my estate under heavy watch. The Head Captain has agreed with me that prison is no place for any of you, but we still can't risk letting you wander around. So, let's go." Byakuya stated plainly. He opened the door and the little girl was the first to run out. She got on her knees and fell into a full bow.

"Thank you so much. Thank you, thank you!" Kaori cried.

"Come on Kaori. Byakuya isn't one to say 'you're welcome'." Tali joked. Byakuya just glanced angrily at her.

"I'm not doing this for you so 'thank you' is not required." He stated coldly.

"I know." Tali said in a serious tone. She knew exactly why he would pull the strings. He may have grown a very cold, hard exterior, but Tali saw he was still the same teenage boy on the inside.

* * *

The journey to Byakuya's estate was long for the tired three, but they pushed forward regardless. Once they arrived, Byakuya showed them to one of the many guest rooms. "You'll share this one for now. My men will have an easier time watching one room rather than three separate ones." He pretended to care only about the ease of his men rather than their comfort. Tali knew better. They would have never slept in a separate room anyway.

"I appreciated it, Byakuya-sama." Tali said using formalities for the first time in seeing Byakuya. "Please make sure Sakura is safe. She hasn't been well for days now. Her family being lost out there is tearing her to pieces. She pretends to be the strongest and not need anyone, but she can't fool me. She won't let me comfort her during this hard time, but perhaps you have a better chance." Tali continued. Rin and Kaori were already on the inside of the room preparing for bed. Tali and Byakuya could talk amongst themselves on the outdoor walkway.

"I have no intentions of showing her any comfort. She needs to learn to be her own strength and not rely on others for so much help." He replied coldly.

"Well obviously you haven't got a clue. She was declared the strongest female Hayashi in our city. She showed more strength than any of us and showed no sign of weakness or emotion. She held it inside and kept it for herself and only released it to her father. She is the only reason we are still alive and Kaori is not in Dark Hope's hands. She has relied on herself and only herself since we've left this place, Byakuya. It's hard for me to think her selfish for wanting someone to relieve her pain when she's lived with it for so long." Tali said firmly. Byakuya remained still with the same serious face. "The truth is she's slowly shattering on the inside and I'm not sure how much more of this she can take. She will die protecting Kaori if no one else steps in."

"I will not let that happen." Byakuya said in quick response.

"Tali! Come inside and get some rest." Rin called.

"Coming." Tali called back. "Whether you did it for us or not, Thank you."

Byakuya could only turn and watch as she made her way inside. The door shut quietly behind her and the girls made themselves comfortable.

* * *

"So when is this Hayashi filth showing up?" Captain Kurotsuchi said annoyed. Byakuya shot him an angry look, but he didn't see it.

"She took quite the beating I heard." Captain Kyoraku mused loudly.

"She was trying to protect the girl that was with them." Captain Hitsugaya informed them.

"This is nothing but a waste of time. Kuchiki found and killed the bastard chasing them so what's the point of all this?" Captain Zaraki asked in an annoyed tone.

"That's what we are here to find out, isn't it?" Captain Kyoraku suggested coyly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Captain Zaraki spit back in return.

Suddenly a loud bang was heard in the hall. "Enough of this." Head Captain Yamamoto called out. The large doors to the meeting chamber opened and I walked in behind a messenger.

"Hayashi survivor Sakura Raine is here." The messenger said as he bowed to the captains.

"Come in, girl." Head Captain Yamamoto said.

I was terribly nervous but hid it inside. I walked a few steps in and bowed to the Head Captain.

"You have been allowed to enter Seireitei due to the fact that you and your companions were in serious danger of losing your lives. If you give us a reasonable explanation for this, I may be able to grant you at the very least a limited citizenship here and lift the Hayashi ban for a short time." He explained.

"Thank you, Head Captain." I said without looking at him. I felt the pain inside as I remember everything as it happened. "It all began five years ago when Aizen Sousuke first made his presence in our city. It was right before his betrayal to Soul Society. As you all should know, he is the Shinigami that petitioned our ban." I breathed slowly. "He visited my people in a panic. He said that Soul Society was desperate to find protection for an ancient weapon called the Gift of Renewal. He explained that an evil group of people were after it and it could potentially destroy all of Soul Society. My father was skeptical, but we agreed, hoping to appease Soul Society and hoping our banishment could be lifted. Aizen explained that in order to use the weapon, we needed two keystone and a catalyst. It would only work at the Sacred Fountain, at the edge of the forest. So Aizen, without permission, placed the keystones in my twin cousins, Yuki and Kaori." I stopped for a moment to go through the details in my head. In that pause, one of the captains spoke up.

"Aizen had the nerve to stretch his experiments all the way to the outer reaches!?" Captain Komamura said angrily.

"Scientists will explore any field of study." Captain Kurotsuchi boasted.

"Enough, let the girl speak." Head Captain said firmly.

I nodded in agreement. "We are not certain on the details, but we now know Aizen Sousuke traveled to a nearby settlement of outlaws. At the time they were nothing but a petty group of bandits. When Aizen was through with them, they were skilled fighters with a new name and agenda. They were Dark Hope and they wanted the Gift of Renewal more than anything. I don't know what Aizen put in their heads, but it must have just been a game to him. He equipped Dark Hope so well that last month, they broke through our barrier and started destroying everything. They killed almost everyone. Most of my family managed to escape. They were searching for my cousins so they could use the Gift of Renewal. We did our best to stop them, but they were too strong. So my family split up. My father took my sister and cousin, Yuki, to a hidden estate my father knew about. My Uncle Auron took me, my brother, Tali, Rin, and Kaori to try and reach Soul Society. Both my mother and aunt were killed in the slaughter." I clenched my fists and held in the tears. "I'm begging you. Please find my father and Yuki. Aizen told my father that once the Gift of Renewal was used once, it could be never used again, but we can't take any chances. We can't use it without knowing what it will do, especially if it could potentially destroy everything around it. If you just let me talk to Aizen Sousuke for a few minutes I can get it-"

"Absolutely not!" Head Captain said loudly as he slammed his staff to the floor. I looked down in disappointment.

"They won't stop chasing us until we are all dead or they have their stupid power." I yelled angrily.

"Let them come! It will give me something fun to do!" Captain Zaraki laughed.

"Well if you won't let me talk to Aizen Sousuke, then I beg you to let me and my friends stay here until I can get strong enough to protect them on my own." I said heartily.

"Well there is no need for you to rush to such conclusions." Captain Ukitake said light heartily.

"Given the circumstances, I will lift the ban of the Hayashi people and allow you and your friends citizenship in Seireitei. If this power is as dangerous as you say then we cannot allow anyone to get their hands on that little girl. I will send groups of Shinigami to search for your Father and Uncle seeing as they were once good friends of mine. I would hate to see such ill come to them and their families." Head Captain mused. "You, Sakura, must take it easy in these next days to come. Let the Gotei 13 take care of the rest for now. You have done more than enough. I believe arrangements have already been made for where you and your friends will stay. We will get to work on this issue immediately."

"Thank you so much, Head Captain. I am in your debt." I said happily. Finally a little bit of hope.

"One more thing before you go, Sakura." The Head Captain said.

"Yes, sir?"

"What is the catalyst Aizen spoke of? The third piece to this weapon?"

"I don't know, sir. Before we could ask, he was placing the keystones in my cousins and sparked an outrage in our people. We chased him out before we could get any more answers. We tried to send messengers to Soul Society for answers, but they were sent away immediately." I said quietly.

"Hmm." He mused. "You may go Sakura. I have some planning to do with my captains." he said. I bowed one last time before taking my leave.

* * *

Outside the door stood the messenger I came in with. "Please follow me." He said politely. I nodded and began to walk with him.

"Byakuya-sama's estate is absolutely lovely. I'm sure you will enjoy your stay there." The messenger gloated.

"I know." I said solemnly. Never did I think I would be returning here, especially to Byakuya's home.

The walk felt especially short. I spent the whole time lost in thought about everything that had happened.

We went through the gates and I immediately saw my friends. "Rin, Tali, Kaori!" I yelled and waved. The servants of the estate looked at me peculiarly. I was fairly sure that some of them had recognized me.

"Sakura!" Kaori was yelling as she ran to me. She wrapped her small arms around me. "I thought you were dead." She cried.

"Oh, I'm sure they told you I wasn't dead." I smiled. I felt Kaori nod her head on chest as she cried more. She refused to look up at me.

"Hey, I see you made it." Tali said nonchalantly.

"Yea, not without a few scars though." I frowned.

"Nothing new there." She replied.

"Hey come see the estate! It's even better than I remembered!" Rin said enthusiastically. I waved the messenger goodbye and walked off with my friends.

Kaori was still clinging to me as we walked throughout the estate. Byakuya's guard was keeping close watch on us. Most of the rooms were familiar to me. I had spent so much time here, it's hard to forget what, at one point, had felt like home.

We made it to the garden and I stopped in awe. The koi pond was even more amazing than I remember. I remember the sparring Byakuya and I would do here. My eyes scanned over the beautiful garden until they stopped on one lonely tree in the corner by the wall. My heart suddenly sunk as a flash back took me full force.

I remembered it like it was a reoccurring dream, fuzzy in viewing, but strong in feeling. I remember his arms around me, pleading for answers. "Why are you doing this, Sakura?" His heart was breaking. "You know I love you. You know I would do anything for you. What are you hiding from me?"

"I'm so sorry, Byakuya. I can't get you involved. Just trust me. I have to do this for my people." At that final moment I caught his lips and distracted him with a long passionate kiss. Then I used my shunpo to flee. He was too distracted to follow. It was the biggest mistake I ever made.

"Hey, Sakura!" Tali said as she slapped me at the back of the head.

"Ow!" I groaned as I rubbed the spot she hit.

"Sorry, but you were zoned out worse than Rin during one of her insect watching escapades." Tali replied.

"Insects are an important part of our eco-structure." Rin began to argue.

"No one cares, Rin." Tali replied, obviously hearing this before.

"I was just thinking." I said

"About what?" Kaori asked as she still clung to my hand.

"Nothing important." I said quietly.

"Come on, Let's get some lunch!" Rin said excitedly. "I'm starving."

"Yeah!" Kaori cheered.

"Ok, I'm game for that." Tali said.

"You guys go on ahead. I'll catch up." I said.

"We can wait if you want." Rin began.

"No, it's ok. I just need a few minutes. I'm trying to get used to being back here."

"Ok, we'll see you a bit later." Tali said as she dragged Kaori along.

"But-" Kaori started to say.

"Come on, Kay. Sakura will join us later." Tali reassured. Kaori seemed to give in and continued very slowly with the other two girls.

I continued with my own personal tour. I specifically looked for one room in particular. It took a little bit of time, but I finally found it. The shrine was dedicated to the lost Kuchiki members. One in particular stood out to me. It was a young woman, whose picture stood in the middle of the shrine. She was beautiful, with jet black hair and large oval eyes. "This must be Byakuya's wife." I said to myself.

"Her name is Hisana." A voice said from behind. I jumped realizing Byakuya was standing behind me.

"She's beautiful." I said.

"You do not belong in here." He replied coldly.

"My apologies. I did not know. The guards did not stop me." I said coyly.

"That is because they fear you." He said as he turned to leave. I took my queue and followed him out.

"Why?" I asked.

"You have a frightening past." He reminded her.

"That was not my fault." I protested.

"Yes, it was. You had bad judgment and didn't trust those that cared for you the most. If any of us knew what you were up to that day, we would have stopped you." He continued.

"I know, ok? I trusted the wrong man. Why do you have to bring that up? I know what I did was wrong and I'm still trying to own up to it." I said angrily.

"You have a lot to 'own up to'." He shot back.

He was prodding at a broken nerve, and I lost it. Tears started streaming down my face uncontrollably. "Screw you!" I yelled agrily. "You don't have a clue what it's like! I know it's my fault my people got banished from here. It's my fault that Aizen found us. I begged them not to listen to him! But they did. And now it's my fault they are all dead or running scared for their lives and there is not a damn thing I can do about it. I'm stuck here hiding like a scared child when I should be out there helping them." I was inconsolable at this point. I felt my hands shaking with anger and pure hatred for the man named Aizen Sosuke.

I turned and started to run but he grabbed my arm forcefully. I still had some pain there and I winced and paused. He whipped me around and held me in his arms. "You are not in this alone." He whispered in my ear and suddenly the tears came to a stop. It was like a giant weight was slowly lifting off my shoulders. Then I remembered I wasn't the only one suffering. I needed to grow up and stay strong.

I forced myself to swallow my emotions. He released me and I looked up at him and nodded and we continued to walk on, in comfortable silence.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3 is up! Finally back in my writing groove._

* * *

_"How can I trust you? You won't even reveal your identity to me." I asked the cloaked figure._

_"I want what's best for the Hayashi people. The Shinigami are holding a sacred item of your people, an item that will allow your people to flourish. You will not longer be trapped here, under the Shinigami's rule." The man said._

_"Why would the Shinigami want to keep us here?" I asked curiously._

_"Isn't it obvious? Your people hold a similar power to their own. It is a power they do not wish any other race of people to have. If they keep you here, they will be able to control you. They would have a say over your lives, the amount of children your families have, what kind of training you are permitted, and every aspect of your lives. If you left, you could flourish outside of Seireitei. Soul Society would have no say over your lives. I'm only telling you this because my people were just like yours. Soul Society deemed us a threat and slowly wiped us out. So do not follow my people's lead. Protect yourselves." And with that, the mysterious man disappeared and with him, the world around began to shatter and fade._

_"Wait!" I yelled. "Wait!" _

"Wait…" I murmured.

"Sakura, wake up!" Kaori said as she shook me. My eyes shot open and my breath caught. Kaori sat back a bit.

"Bad dream?" Tali asked from the corner. I nodded.

There was silence for a moment. All of us were having nightmares, so it was no surprise. I just doubted they knew that my nightmares were from a time way before now.

There was a knock at the door.

"Yes?" I answered.

The sliding door was opened and standing there was a young looking girl wearing Shinigami clothing. I couldn't quite see her face, as the morning sun shone in from behind her, blinding me.

"I am Lieutenant Rukia Kuchiki of the 13th Division. I am here to offer escort. You have been permitted to move about Seireitei, but not without an escort. Captain Kuchiki has requested that I be your escort outside of the estate." The girl said.

My eyes adjusted and I got a good look at her face. I thought I was dreaming. She looked a lot like Byakuya's deceased wife.

"Really? They are so nervous we are going to cause trouble that they saddle us with a Lieutenant?" Tali scoffed.

"If you'd prefer, you can just stay locked up in here. I have other things I could be doing." The Lieutenant stated.

Tali went to open her mouth, but I cut her off. "Are you related to Byakuya-sama? I don't recognize you." I said. "Yet, you share his name." I couldn't help but feel a bit jealous.

"I am his sister." She stated.

"Sister?" Rin said. "I apologize, I don't remember you. I would think I would have met you when we were last here. Ginrei-sama never mentioned a granddaughter."

"That's because she isn't a blood relative. She is Byakuya-sama's sister-in-law, his wife's sister." I said.

"I see." Rin replied as she shifted nervously.

Rukia cleared her throat. "If that matter is settled, I'm here to offer escorting if you wish."

"Sure, I'd rather go out to eat today." I said as I got up.

* * *

I was quiet on the walk into the business district of Seireitei. Kaori was excited to get out and see the sites. Tali and Rin kept conversation with her to distract her from the devastating reality. Our armed escort kept to herself. I got the impression very quickly that she disliked our presence here. She, like many in Seireitei, had never seen a Hayashi before. I was sure she was spoon fed the awful, distorted lies that had spun out of control after we had been kicked out. She hated us and she didn't even know us.

We found a small restaurant that was pretty quiet and wouldn't draw much attention to us. Rukia requested a booth seat towards the back of the restaurant where we all sat. It was quiet for a few moments.

Kaori broke the silence. "When are we going to see Father, Uncle, and Yuki again? I miss them all so much." Her face was pained, but she held in her tears.

"Soon, Kaori. They will be here soon." Tali lied. I gave her look for giving Kaori false hope, but couldn't bring myself to reveal the reality of the situation. The likely-hood of Uncle Auron and Katsuo still being alive was very slim. They would have been here by now.

"What's with the serious face, _Lieutenant Kuchiki_?" Tali's snide remark caused the Shinigami to turn to her with a scowl.

"What face should I have? I'm assigned to drag around a bunch of fugitives so they can get some air outside of the Kuchiki estate. I will always do whatever Nii-sama commands without question, but that doesn't mean I have to agree. I have no idea why Nii-sama treats you people with such undeserving respect." Her words spewed out like venom.

"Do you have any idea why we were even banished from Seireitei?" Tali asked with a smirk.

"You stole an important artifact from the research division and then killed many Shinigami." Rukia said. Her voice began to rise.

"No. One Hayashi was tricked by a man named Aizen Sosuke to steal an artifact that she believed belonged to the Hayashi people. That was a lie conjured up by Aizen Sosuke. When that Hayashi obtained the artifact, it did something to her to cause her to lose herself. She went into a blind rage and killed anyone who came near her, whether it was Shinigami or Hayashi. They managed to apprehend her after a fierce battle and sent her to a contained medical center. There, it was discovered her mind had been tainted and it took several weeks to restore her to her previous state. After this, the Hayashi girl was imprisoned and a debate broke out about how dangerous the Hayashi people were and how they could not be trusted. The Hayashi decided to pack up and leave Seireitei with the girl and start a life elsewhere. Soul Society as a whole decided it best that the Hayashi not return and therefore implemented a ban at the request of one particular Shinigami. His name was Aizen Sosuke. So, _Lieutenant Rukia_, it is best not to judge us based on the evil doings of one man. I'm sure you know just how evil and manipulative this Aizen Sosuke is, seeing as he did quite a large amount of damage to Soul Society. Or so I've heard." Tali said. She was no longer smirking and turned to the hot plate of food placed in front of her.

Rukia looked at her trying to think of something to say, but overall seemed a bit lost for words. Rin had started a conversation with Kaori in order to stay out of the discussion. I just felt numb. I knew Tali was trying to justify what had happened. She wanted to explain that we were not at fault, but it didn't stop the painful memories from consuming me. I suddenly wasn't very hungry anymore.

The rest of the lunch went smoothly and Rukia suddenly seemed a bit friendlier. It seemed we had a lot more in common with her than we had thought.

"Rukia, is there a place we can spar? I'm feeling a bit rusty." Tali asked.

"Yes, actually there are training grounds near the 11th squad's facilities. I'm sure they'd love to take on a few Hayashi." Rukia offered. "And personally I wouldn't mind see you crush a few into the ground." She laughed.

"I could use the distraction." I said.

"I don't think you should, Sakura. Mizu still hasn't healed fully." Rin pointed out.

"I won't use her. A little hand to hand combat won't hurt." I smiled.

* * *

There were already other Shinigami sparring when we arrived. Most of them stopped to look at us as we entered the sparring area.

"Rukia!" a spiky-haired Shinigami called. I didn't recognize him, but both Tali and Rin did.

"It's the spiky sword guy." Kaori mentioned.

"Hey, Renji!" Rukia called back.

"What are you doing Rukia? Why did you bring these Hayashi here?" Renji asked. The other Shinigami watched the group carefully.

"They wanted to spar, so I brought them here. I figured you would all like a different challenge. " Rukia smirked.

"Heh. I'll take them all on." A bald-headed Shinigami said from one of the pits.

He was a tall, well built Shinigami. His head was shining in the sun and he had small red marks at the corners of his eyes. He was smirking wildly at us and I felt inclined to put him in his place.

"No need to take all of us on. I can take care of you, myself." I said with a smirk.

"Alright then. Show me what you've got!" He said with intensity as he charged me.

"Ikkaku! Stop!" Renji called out, but it was too late.

The Shinigami charged me quickly and swung wildly with his right arm. I dodged it easily and flash-stepped to nearest sparring ring. I gently slipped of my sandals and let the sand sink between my toes. There I waited for his next move.

"Huh, you're pretty fast. But let's see how fast you are when I knock that damn smirk off your face." He charged again, and this time I ducked his jab and kicked up towards his stomach. He flew back a little and charged again, throwing punches wildly. I dodged them up until I grabbed one of his wrists and kneed him in his chin. He groaned in pain as he stumbled back.

He started growling in frustration. "Stand still damn it!" He now added kicks to his barrage of wild attacks. I jumped and dodged, but his speed was increasing the angrier he got. A left jab caught my shoulder, so I flipped backwards to avoid any other hit. He suddenly appeared behind me, sending a kick in my direction. I just barely dodged it in time.

"Ha, you're getting slower." He smirked triumphantly. "Or I'm getting faster." He shrugged his shoulders and then charged again. This time I held my ground, allowing a few of his punches to hit, so I could get inside and return some blows. His skin was harder than a rock and my blows weren't affecting him at all. _'Weak points, Sakura. Aim for the weak points.'_ I reminded myself.

I got on the inside of his blows again and sent an uppercut to his chin. Quickly I followed up with a kick to his legs. I finished by jumping into the air and landing feet first on his head, crushing it face first into the sand.

I jumped off of him and to the far end of the ring. He lifted himself up, growling, and anger creased his face. "Why you!" He growled, getting ready to charge again.

"Rukia." A familiar voice called. Everyone stopped in their tracks.

"N-Nii-sama!" Rukia stuttered. She quickly bowed apologetically.

"I thought I told you to escort them to the business district. They are not permitted to be here." Byakuya stated in that calm, cool voice.

Rukia tried to explain, but I cut her off. "It's not her fault, Captain Kuchiki. I asked Lieutenant Kuchiki if there was a place we could blow off some steam. I didn't think a little sparring could hurt. I apologize." I said as I approached him. Ikkaku still looked steamed, but managed to hold his tongue in front of Byakuya.

"Lieutenant Abarai will escort you all back to the estate. I will decide later how this should be handled." He stated. He turned to Rukia. "Your captain is in need of you. Return to the 13th squad."

"Yes, Nii-sama." Rukia said as she hurriedly left.

Byakuya peered at Renji. "I will bring these Hayashi back to the estate immediately, Captain!" Renji replied with haste. "Come on." He said to the group. The remaining Shinigami went back to sparring and Byakuya disappeared in a different direction.

* * *

"You and Rukia would make a cute couple." Rin mentioned. The Shinigami's face suddenly looked as red as his hair.

"Shinigami don't have time for that sort of thing. We have a duty to Soul Society and protecting people comes before our own personal relationships." He said proudly.

"So, you don't deny that you and Rukia would make a cute couple?" Rin continued. Tali started laughing and I couldn't help but wear a smile on my face.

"I'm saying that it's not something any of us think about because there isn't any point!" Renji argued.

"Bullshit." Tali said.

Frustration started showing on Renji's face. "Just think about it! Byakuya Kuchiki's sister and his Lieutenant together! It would be like one big happy family. He obviously sees something in you if he made you his Lieutenant." Rin continued.

"Finally we are here!" Renji exclaimed as we came upon the gates to the Kuchiki estate.

"Well thanks for the walk, Renji." Tali smirked. Renji let out a loud sigh as we entered the estate. Poor guy.

* * *

We settled into our room once again.

"How are you feeling?" Rin asked me. I was starting to zone out again.

"I'm fine." I said. "Don't worry about me."

"We do worry about you. It's a lot on your shoulders." Tali said.

"It's alright. I'll be fine." I said again.

"Alright, well just remember we are here for you. We can shoulder some of that weight for you. You just have to hand it over." Tali replied.

"I wouldn't torture you like that." I laughed. "My pain is my own and I will deal with it as such."

Both Rin and Tali looked at me with concerned faces. I hated when they did that. I didn't need sympathy. I just need to stab my blade deep into the chest of Aizen Sosuke.

* * *

It was late and everyone was sleeping. I couldn't sleep. How could I with constant nightmares?

I quietly slid open the door and snuck out. I wandered into the garden. The moon cascaded its light beautifully over the water of the pond, the rocks, the trees, and the flowers. I walked barefoot through the grass, while listening to the calls of the frogs and the songs of the crickets. I took in the smell of the water as I wandered over the bridge, feeling the roughness of the wood on my toes. Somehow I ended up at that tree.

I reached my hand out and touched the bark. I remembered the feel of it like it was yesterday. I had spent many nights leaned up against this tree, and once or twice pinned to it. I couldn't help but smile at the sweet memory of the love that was once there.

_"You shouldn't be here." He said quietly, but sternly. He was always so serious. He always played by the rules._

_"Why not? I wanted to see you!" I smiled. It was always cute when he blushed. _

_"Go back home. I will see you tomorrow in training. I'm not getting in trouble for you!" He continued._

_"Fine, but maybe one day you will actually be happy to see me here." I smirked as I got ready to jump over the fence._

_He grabbed my arm before I could leave and whipped me around. His lips pressed hard against mine. I tensed up in shock, but soon relaxed against the feel of his soft lips. He released his hold and I smiled up at him._

_"You aren't supposed to kiss Hayashi. We aren't worthy to be with nobles!" I teased before fleeing. I managed to catch a smirk on his lips before he fell out of sight. _

I sighed quietly. I had missed him so much. I had told myself over and over again that he had moved on from me; that he hated me; that I betrayed him by killing his people. I didn't deserve him.

"Oh, stop it, Sakura!" I whispered out loud. "There are more important things going on right now. I shouldn't be thinking about this…" I stopped in hearing quiet footsteps behind me.

"Thinking about what?" the familiar cold voice asked.

"Byakuya-sama! Sorry, I was having trouble sleeping, so I figured a walk in the garden would help clear my head." I said nervously.

"But it didn't, did it? It only filled your head with old memories." He mentioned as he put his hand on the bark next to mine. I smiled.

"Memories that should be forgotten." He finished. My smile instantly disappeared. He managed to crack my heart again. I felt my heart sink into the depths of my stomach. Anger began to fill me and I couldn't hold back.

"Right, because I cannot be forgiven; because my mistakes are too severe to forgive; because your wife, Hisana, was more of a woman and wife than I could ever hope to be. She could please you where I could only disappoint you. I am not worthy of you, right Byakuya-sama?" I said angrily. My voice was shaking. "I am a fool. How could I possibly hold on to such a stupid idea of you still caring for me even for a second like you used to? I clung to the idea that the only man I truly ever loved might possibly still love me, but I suppose I should have known that was over after I found out you married. "

I turned to walk back to the room, when I heard him spoke. I froze. "I never stopped caring for you, but you forget that I did not break your heart. You broke mine when you left to steal that artifact. You betrayed me by not telling me. You didn't give me the opportunity to stop you. I had to move on from you. It was your choice, not mine. Forget the memories of us; it will only distract you from what has to be done now." He said as calmly as possible. I could hear the anger in his voice.

"Then I wish to be transferred elsewhere. You cannot possibly expect me to forget about us, when memories of us plague this place." I waited for a moment for his response.

"As you wish." He said.

I clenched my teeth in continued anger and stormed back to the room.

_"I broke his heart? I broke his heart. I destroyed us. I hate you, Aizen Sosuke."_


End file.
